Prior art vehicle doors have an inner panel and an outer panel operatively connected to one another to form a door cavity therebetween. Door hardware, such as a window, a latch, etc., is located within the door cavity. Prior art doors also typically include an impact beam, sometimes referred to as an “impact bar,” an “intrusion beam,” and the like, to transfer side impact loads to the door hinges and latch, and, correspondingly, a body hinge pillar and body lock pillar. Impact beams are located within the door cavity so that they are concealed from view. The door cavity is sufficiently thick to provide adequate clearance between the impact beam and door hardware, such as the window, particularly when the window is retracted into the door cavity.
Prior art vehicles also include rub strips, sometimes referred to as “body side moldings,” to protect the outer surface of the door from damage resulting from minor impacts such as from shopping carts or the doors of an adjacent parked car. Rub strips are typically comprised of a resilient rubber or plastic material.